Can You at Least Read the Will First
by TenderGraces
Summary: Instead of the Dursley's Minerva intervenes along with Severus to raise Harry in the Wizarding world while trying to unravel Dumbles machination and figure out whose on Harry's side. Screw the Light or the Dark! Told in a series on intertwined drabbles and one-shots. Will eventually cover most of the first years Harry Encountered in canon. Sporadic updates.
1. Chapter 1

Hello guys, this is a bit different from my other story Golden Train, starts much earlier in Harry's life. This will not be slash! It's basically everyone asking all the questions and looking fro answers such as Why does Dumbledore have any say at all? Did Lily forgive Severus? Was Petunia really heartless? What would happen if Sirius wasn't imprisoned? Is Voldemore dead? Just a plot bunny that was running through my head.

* * *

"Albus, they are the worst sort of Muggles. They won't love him, not like he was their own. Lily and James wouldn't want him here. How can you go against their wishes like that?" Minerva McGonagall said to Albus Dumbledore.

It had only been a few hours since the Potters had been killed and Sirius Black, best friend to James had killed them. Minerva wondered how one so deep in the light could do such a thing, but for now she had to focus on the babe in front of her and Albus ridiculous idea to leave him on the door steps. "It's November, for Merlin's sake. Think about this." Minerva pleaded.

* * *

Dumbledore would not be swayed however and left a note for Petunia Dursley to take care of Harry.

It was with a heavy heart that Minerva left with Albus but as soon as Albus retired to his quarters Minerva packed her bags and went back to see if the baby was okay. She just wanted to make sure the Dursleys found him, and then she told herself that she'd leave Hogwarts. After all, if the headmaster wouldn't even consider her thoughts on something so important what was she doing there anyways?

When Minerva heard Harry crying she couldn't help but want to comfort him. She saw the lights go on in the Dursleys home and knew she had to act soon. As quick as she could she ran over to the doorsteps and grabbed him up and disillusioned herself before the door was opened to see Petunia Dursley on her step.

"Someone is there, show yourself." Petunia said. "Lily?" McGonagall couldn't hide any longer.

Showing herself made Petunia yelp in surprise. McGonagall saw Petunia's eyes flash to Harry in her arms and braced herself to tell her that her last living relative was dead.

"Lily and her husband James have died. So, have the Dark Lord but there is chaos is our world right now. I'm taking their son into hiding until things settle down." McGonagall told her.

"What'll happen to their son? I won't pretend Lily and I were the best of friends but he's only a baby." Petunia said as she tried to ignore the ache in her chest over the way she had treated Lily the last time she had seen her.

"The headmaster had plans to leave him on your doorsteps. I couldn't bear the thought, so while the headmaster went to sleep I came back for him."

Suddenly, there was a bang and a kick at the door.

"Tuney, open up please! It's Lily."

Minerva wondered if she was hearing things because surely, that wasn't Severus Snape sounding as if the world was about to end.

Petunia ran to the door hoping to stop the noise before Vernon heard. He wouldn't be pleased at all to see them here.

"Stop that raucous this instant Severus, you'll wake Vernon." Petunia warned.

"She's dead and I can't take it and I don't know where Harry is and she's dead." Snape said. McGonagall was watching this display with bemusement and pity; this was not the behavior of Severus Snape that she knew.

"Why are you here, Severus?" Minerva asked gently. "Albus told me you went missing."

"I was trying to find the paper that Lily had sent me a few weeks ago. I couldn't read it at first but when I did It told me she was going to go in hiding and that 'of the dog and pack the rat will be a rat if she died'." Severus said.

"What the hell does that mean?" Minerva demanded.

"It means that Peter Pettigrew will really be a rat if they died while in hiding because he was the secret keeper. That's also when I saw the vials with her and James Potter memory of the event. They wanted the Dog, Sirius, but Albus insisted on Peter."

"What are we going to do?" Petunia asked.

"We aren't going to do anything. I however, will be taking my ward with me. I have custody if Sirius Black was unable or unwilling to claim Harry in case something happened." Severus said.

"I can't do that Severus, Albus wants him to stay here." Minerva said.

"But, you were going to take him away." Petunia pointed out.

"The baby, Harry, he's fine. He hasn't realized yet what's going on. But you have to stop the noise. The other boy is asleep. And so is her whale of a husband." Minerva said.

"Let, not insult my husband in my home." Petunia said angry that she was now the source of Minerva's building ire.

"I have a property that's guarded that Dumbledore doesn't know about. Its best we go there to take. In the morning, I have to go and get a trial for Black set up. I can't do it till tomorrow though because I have to have the wards accept Harry and it takes awhile. Once he is, even if they don't grant me legal custody they Ministry can't do anything because it's outside of British territory." Snape said.

"Why wouldn't Dumbledore know where it is?" Minerva queried.

"I can't get into it now but we have to go." Severus said as he ushered Minerva out the door.

* * *

"Wait, let me come with you." And even as she said it Petunia thought Vernon might suddenly appear in the room. "I want to go with you. It won't take long to pack." She pleaded.

Severus was about to ask her why when he suddenly recognize the look on her face. It was the look his mother had whenever his father had left the house; relief. Hoping that this was the freedom he craved. And he knew that no matter his feelings towards her and how she had treated Lily, he couldn't leave her here. Not if she was fearful of her life. He shivered to think about what Harry's home life would've been like had he been left to grow here.

Severus wandered what kind of game Albus was playing. For him to know of a volatile relationship between two sisters and willing place a child there was suspicious: and so soon after the Potters were dead. Lily wasn't even cold yet and Albus has started his machinations. He played a deep games but surely no this deep.

"Get what you need and be back in two minutes. If you need something larger than you carry let me know so I can shrink it down for you. We're losing time standing around.

With that Petunia ran up the stairs. She knew she only needed her son and a few necessities. A few times she heard the grunts of Vernon and thought he would come looking for her since she had been missing from the bed longer than what he usually deemed necessary.

As she lifted Dudley out of the bed she sent up a small prayer asking for continued good luck. Yes, the loss of her sister was sad but that was more from losing your last blood relative. However, she had a chance to get away from her stagnated life and she wasn't about to look back. Dudley was whimpering in his sleep and she tried desperately to quiet him. It wouldn't do to be so close to freedom only to snatch it back.

As the door closed behind them Petunia hope it was a symbol of her being able to leave the past behind.

* * *

So, what do you think?


	2. Chapter 2

"Who gave you permission to remove Harry, Severus?"

"Who gave you permission to place him there Albus?"

"He's safer there!"

"From who? They will be the ones to inflict the most damage to him. I want the will read before anything else is done!" Minevera said.

"I know it seems harsh but it's for the.." Albus said.

"If you say for the greater good I will choke you old man. I have already spoke to Gringotts, they are having the will read tonight." Severus said.

"What have you done Severus!" Albus cried.

"What Lily wanted for her son? Until that will is read he goes nowhere."

Line

"It is of the understanding according to the last will and testament of Lily and James Potter that Peter Pettigrew was there secret Keeper, that everything is bequeath to their son Harry Potter and that Remus Lupin who have been granted French citizenship is to be Harry Potter's primary caregiver sharing responsibilities with Severus Snape."

The Gringotts Goblins have always been succinct but this was taking it to a new extreme, there had to be something else that wasn't supposed to be public knowledge why the will wasn't read verbatim.

Dumbedore held his head in his hands. Of all the time for Severus to stand up to him he chose the most inconvenient time. He couldn't obliviate everyone because it wouldn't work on the Goblins and as a French Citizen he could start issues with the French and British Ministries if he tried to impede Remus rights to Harry. This also meant Sirius was innocent and had spent a night in Azkaban for no reason.

Remus was shocked. He had thought Sirius would've received custody but sharing between him and Severus was shocking enough but to know Albus couldn't use hi conditions or Harry's parentage to manipulate them was a wonderful feeling.

Severus tried to think how he came to have partial custody over Harry Potter, spawn of James Potter but he knew that was Lily's way of showing forgiveness and he wouldn't snub it.

Line


	3. Daddy to the Rescue

"Do you want to come with me?" Nigel asked his stepson. He knew he was signing his own death warrant but he knew the six months was coming up and his wife would soon try to poison him. He figured that if he left her half of what he had and changed his name he could get away from it. The last few months he hadn't eaten or drink anything she ordered for him and he knew what was going on.

The problem was he was once a black widower and he had made the same plans for his wife too. Ready to kill her after a respectable amount of time had passed. He knew about her past husbands but it seems the last one who had fathered her child had made an impression in order for her to take his name and carry the child full term. Rumor had it he knew he was being poisoned and told her that he loved her anyway. His last will left everything in trust to his child and was able to see the child birth but had died after a week.

Nigel loved Blaise. A sweet little boy with the innocence children are naturally born with. He realized that his attachment to the babe might speed up his coming death sentence so before bed he ate a bezoars' stone and drank the tea she offered as nonchalant as he could. He saw the smiles and he knew she felt he had finally caved.

And he would always convince himself that if he left the baby there he would be breeding a new Dark Lord follower or another Dark Lord himself. So, he walked around shrinking as much as he could carry in his coat pocket without drawing suspicion. He pinched Blaise periodically every few minutes. He would insist she never call the house elves that he would do it. And when finally she got used to him walking out of the room he announced to her he would be leaving for a walk around the manor to calm Blaise for the night.

She watched him with her some and for a second she thought she should stop it and learn to love him but then, her son reached out and stroked his cheek and she called out "I'll keep a cup of tea warm for you."

"Thanks honey, we'll be back soon."

* * *

She would always wonder why she called the aurors. She had friends that would've helped her find him more discretely but it was hard to explain to the Aurors why a tea laced with a lethal dose of poison was sitting under a warming charm for her husband who never came back home.


End file.
